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Optical Technology Takes on NCDL Signals

The interchange of common-data-link (CDL) signals for communications between different intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) systems operated by various armed forces and government agencies requires wide bandwidths. And those have traditionally required metal waveguide transmission lines to support bidirectional microwave signals at about 14 to 16 GHz between sensors, terminals, remote antennas, and other system platforms. But Optical Zonu has shown that it is possible to accomplish CDL communications reliably and securely using optical communications technology.

The company’s OZC RFOF CDL Link is a light-weight alternative to waveguide and has been a part of secure, high-speed links for the Navy CDL (NCDL) system. It uses optical signals to transfer CDL signals over much greater distances than waveguide—as far as 50 km—with the wide bandwidths needed for CDL signals. The system, which features a broadband optical transceiver with wide dynamic range, employs fiber fault detection for enhanced reliability and suffers much less signal loss than traditional waveguide CDL solutions.